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Culture
The Fanciest Video Game Art You’ve Ever Seen
Today’s Fine Art is something different. Rather than look at one game, or one studio, we’re looking at a loose collaboration of artists from all over the industry brought together by one thing: a very fancy art dealership. Cook & Becker, based in Utrecht, The Netherlands, has opened a gallery for “unique and limited edition…
By Luke Plunkett Published December 6, 2011 -
CultureTotal Recall
The Only Video Game Journalists to Get Action Figures
Today, GamePro magazine ceases to be. Which for lovers of print is a bit of a sad moment, given the fact it’s been around since 1988 In that time it’s previewed, reviewed and wrote about a lot of games, but for me it’ll always be remembered as the only video game magazine to ever get…
By Luke Plunkett Published December 5, 2011 -
Culture
Kart-e Diem
Mario Kart 7 hit shelves for the 3DS today. Other names of note include an adaptation of The Adventures of Tintin, and Just Dance 3 for the PS3. Downloadable action includes content for Battlefield 3, Forza Motorsport 4, and Final Fantasy VI on the PlayStation Network. Today • Mario Kart 7 (3DS) Monday • Fortune…
By Owen Good Published December 4, 2011 -
Culture
Sunday Comics: You Must Be This Tall to Raid
Welcome to your Sunday read of the week’s best in web comics. Make sure to click on the expand button in the bottom right to enlarge each comic. Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich published Nov. 28.—Read more of Awkward Zombie Nerf NOW!! by Josué Pereira published Dec. 3.—Read more of Nerf NOW!! Penny Arcade by…
By Owen Good Published December 4, 2011 -
CultureTotal Recall
The Best Part of Fighting Games? The Stupid Quotes.
There’s a charm to fighting games that’s irresistible. I mean, aside from all the face-punching, the character rosters are usually insane, and there’s a tongue-in-cheek vibe that runs deep through most titles in the genre. Nowhere is this more evident than in the stupid little quotes you get after a match in most games. To…
By Luke Plunkett Published December 2, 2011 -
CultureTotal Recall
The Glory of Atari’s Original Logo
The original logo for the original Atari (as in, not the watered-down ghost we know today) is, for the history-conscious, about as close to a religious symbol as old-school arcade and console gamers are going to get. While the company didn’t invent the video game, it did do more than anyone else in the 1970s…
By Luke Plunkett Published December 1, 2011 -
Culture
The Killer Concept Art of François Baranger
François Baranger is an artist who works not just on video games, but on some of the biggest Hollywood franchises in recent years, like Harry Potter and GI Joe This being a look at gaming art, though, today we’ll be taking a gander at his work on games like the upcoming Black Death and the…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 30, 2011 -
CultureTotal Recall
The Inspiration Behind Ico’s Iconic Cover Art
Forget the woeful American cover for a minute, and instead let’s focus on the Japanese and European box art for PS2 classic Ico. It’s as memorable for many as the game itself, with its bold art style and rich colours. So I thought for today’s Total Recall we’d look back at the artist, and one…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 30, 2011 -
Culture
One Last Look at Deus Ex’s Brilliant Concept Art
We’ve looked at it not once, but twice here on Fine Art, but the art of Deus Ex: Human Revolution is so damn good I figured it was worth one more feature. Especially since we’ve got some all-new pieces to share. Good things come in threes, right? Richard Dumont, whose work on the game we…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 29, 2011 -
CultureTotal Recall
So, Who Exactly Could Be In a Sony Fighting Game?
There’s a rumour going around that Sony is set to take on Nintendo’s Smash Bros. series with a fighting game franchise of its own. Interestingly, a lot of the early sentiment I picked up on over the weekend was people wondering whether the PlayStation brand had a strong enough roster to support such a game.…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 28, 2011 -
Culture
Megathrusters Are Go!
A re-release of three Sly Cooper classics on the PlayStation Network, and the arrival of Voltron: Defender of the Universe on PSN and Xbox Live Marketplace, highlight what is traditionally the slowest week of the video game calendar. After next week’s Mario Kart 7 on 3DS, retail will go into hibernation until January. Tuesday •…
By Owen Good Published November 27, 2011 -
Culture
Sunday Comics: By Any Other Name
Awkward Zombie by Katie Tiedrich published Nov. 21.—Read more of Awkward Zombie Welcome to your Sunday read of the week’s best in web comics. Make sure to click on the expand button in the bottom right to enlarge each comic. Nerf NOW!! by Josué Pereira published Nov. 25.—Read more of Nerf NOW!! Penny Arcade by…
By Owen Good Published November 27, 2011 -
CultureTotal RecallNi No Kuni Isn’t Miyazaki/Ghibli’s First Video Game Appearance
Much has been made, and rightly so, of the involvement of Hayao Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli with Level-5’s PS3 RPG Ni No Kuni (out this week in Japan). It’s helped the game look amazing. While it’s a welcome partnership, though, it’s not the first time the animation legend, or his studio, have turned up in a…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 25, 2011 -
Culture
The Beautiful, If Stabby Art of the Assassin’s Creed Series
With Assassin’s Creed Revelations out recently (and starring in its own Fine Art), I thought it’d be a good time to take a look back on some of the incredible art from the series we’ve yet to feature here on Kotaku. The pieces you’re about to see are the work of three men: Maxime Desmettre,…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 24, 2011 -
CultureTotal RecallGood Lord, World of Warcraft Is Old
In an industry where games barely even a month old are slashed in price then swiftly forgotten, World of Warcraft is an exceptional, well, exception. The game, which turned seven yesterday, was first announced back in 2001. For it to be still played today isn’t just mind-exploding, it’s a testament to how addictive and successful…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 24, 2011 -
Culture
Art From the Command & Conquer Game That Never Was
Totilo’s story yesterday on what might be a Command & Conquer action game got me thinking about Tiberium, the promising yet ultimately ill-fated shooter EA once had planned for the strategy universe. While the game was cancelled because it was shaping up to be a bit rubbish, that certainly had little to do with Tiberium’s…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 23, 2011 -
Culture
The Colourful, Robotic Art of Killzone 3
It’s funny, considering Killzone 2 was so bleak, Killzone 3 remains one of, if not the best-looking game on the PS3, an explosion of vibrant colours and, amazingly given the franchise, style. Part of that is thanks to the guys at art studio Karakter, who we’ve featured here before, but it’s also down to the…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 22, 2011 -
CultureTotal RecallThe End of a Game Should Be a Reward, Not a Chore
WARNING: This post contains mild Modern Warfare 3 spoilers. Video games are all about the carrot and the stick. You endure repetitive tasks in order to receive just enough of a reward to compel you to complete more repetitive tasks. Why, then, do so few games ever let you get your hands on the carrot…
By Luke Plunkett Published November 22, 2011